1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to wireless communication and more particularly to systems and methods for using a wireless modem card.
2. Background
Portable devices of all shapes and sizes are being designed with wireless capability. In the case of laptop computers, for example, a common method of providing wireless capability is via a wireless modem card that can be inserted into one of the laptop's expansion slots, such as a PCMCIA expansion slot.
PCMCIA is an organization that has developed a standard for credit card-sized “PC cards” that can be used to increase the functionality and features of portable computers. Originally, such cards were designed to add memory, but other uses now include adding portable disk drives, dial-up modems, and fax modems. Additionally, several vendors make PCMCIA wireless modem cards.
The PCMCIA standard defines three card types, Types I, II, and III, that have varying thickness. The PCMCIA standard also defines a particular interface between the card and the laptop, or other device, consisting of specific signals, specific connector pinouts, and a specific communications protocol.
Wireless access is also increasingly being provided to smaller hand held computers, such as Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs). One method for providing wireless access to a PDA is to design a cradle or sleeve that the PDA can slide into. A wireless modem is then either built into the cradle/sleeve or the cradle/sleeve can include a slot into which a wireless modem card can be inserted. In the latter case, the cradle/sleeve passes the signals from the wireless modem card through to the PDA and vise versa.
Unfortunately, conventional PDAs typically do not implement the PCMCIA standard. Thus, a wireless modem card designed for installation into such a cradle/sleeve device is not interchangeable with, for example, a laptop wireless modem card. Not only does this mean a user with both types of devices must buy two different modem cards, but a manufacture must configure the factory to build two or more different modem cards, which drives up the cost to produce them.